linux-restricted-modules-common

[Bill Moseley]

Can someone explain (or point me to an explanation) of how these
modules are loaded?

I see there's an init.d script and also /etc/default/linux-restricted-modules-common
to specify which modules should not be loaded.

They sees to get copied to:

    $ ls  /lib/modules/2.6.22-14-generic/volatile/
    ath_hal.ko  fcdslslusb.ko  fcpci.ko     fxusb.ko
    fcdsl2.ko   fcdslusb2.ko   fcusb.ko     nvidia.ko
    fcdsl.ko    fcdslusba.ko   fglrx.ko     nvidia_legacy.ko
    fcdslsl.ko  fcdslusb.ko    fwlanusb.ko  nvidia_new.ko

I have in /etc/default/linux-restricted-modules-common

    DISABLED_MODULES=""


The problem is that since the Gutsy update there's no mention of my
wifi hardware on boot in dmesg and ath_pci modules are not loaded.

If I boot the 2.6.20 kernel from Feisty wireless works.

    $ locate ath_pci.ko
    /lib/modules/2.6.20-16-generic/net/ath_pci.ko
    /lib/modules/2.6.22-14-generic/madwifi/ath_pci.ko

If I manually load the module they install, but still no wireless
extensions:

    $ sudo modprobe -v ath_pci
    insmod /lib/modules/2.6.22-14-generic/volatile/ath_hal.ko 
    insmod /lib/modules/2.6.22-14-generic/madwifi/wlan.ko 
    insmod /lib/modules/2.6.22-14-generic/madwifi/ath_pci.ko 



    $ lsmod | grep ath_
    ath_pci                98336  0 
    wlan                  206660  1 ath_pci
    ath_hal               192720  1 ath_pci



    $ iwconfig
    lo        no wireless extensions.

    eth0      no wireless extensions.

    irda0     no wireless extensions.



    $ lspci | grep Ath
    03:00.0 Network controller: Atheros Communications, Inc. AR5418 802.11a/b/g/n Wireless PCI Express Adapter (rev 01)


Any suggestions where to look next?



-- 
Bill Moseley
moseley at hank.org